Falling Leaves
by Aier74
Summary: Two Elf girls follow the Fellowship, only to be rejected by Legolas. Chapter 4 up!
1. Prologue

A/N: I know this is crappie, but hey what the heck! I wrote this at 4 am, what would u expect??  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Legolan, what are you doing?" Almaya whispered to her friend.  
  
"Ssh…trust me." Legolan crept up by the circle of rocks until she could hear what Lord Elrond was saying, then motioned for Almaya to follow her. Sighing, Almaya picked up her skirts and moved next to Legolan. "Look," Legolan was saying, "there's Lord Elrond, and Frodo, and there sits Gandalf. It's been many a day since I laid eyes on him!"  
  
"Yes, yes, I also. I remember, back in the old days, when he would visit us at Mirkwood and perform wonderful magic for us. Alas, we were only young then, and we are older now. But still I wish to see more. Perhaps he could magic us back to Mirkwood." A small sigh escaped her lips as she thought of her home.  
  
"Don't worry Almaya, we'll be back there soon enough. But for now, we are embarking on an amazing adventure."  
  
"I suppose you are right, my friend."  
  
"Of course, I am always right. Wait, be quiet for a moment. I hear the voice of my brother. He chooses to follow the hobbit Frodo on his journey."  
  
"He goes too? Then so shall we. I want an adventure!" Almaya exclaimed, all thoughts of returning home banished from her mind.  
  
"Almaya, get up, get up! They're gone!" Legolan shook Almaya violently.  
  
"Legolan, let go of me. I can't get up while you hold me down." Legolan let Almaya go and quickly doused the fire. "There is no hurry, for we are trackers just as good as any, and we have mounts, but they travel on foot. Let's eat as we ride, because it's more fun that way. Oh, and leave behind all but what we need, for we will need to travel light when we have nearly reached Mordor, and what better place to leave our things than in Rivendell?" Legolan laughed.  
  
"You are right, as always, Almaya. You know I trust in you. Now let our journey begin!" Almaya and Legolan mounted their horses, Alpine and Shrift. Although Shrift was not Almaya's, she felt as close to him as she did to her own good mare Antiqua, who was far too old and slow to come on a journey like this. Shrift and Alpine were young, both equally fleet of foot and strong, perfect horses for a long ride. And being horses of the royal stables in Mirkwood, they were extremely well-behaved and gentle for all their fierce swiftness. Mirkwood. Almaya again felt a longing to be home, but brushed it off as Legolan spoke.  
  
"Hurry, Almaya, you are slowing with your heavy thoughts and long face. What ails you?"  
  
"Nothing, Legolan. Let us continue on."  
  
And so they continued for a fortnight, drawing ever closer to the Fellowship of the Ring.  
  
*~*~*  
  
A/N: Yay! So was that bad or what? Review plz!! 


	2. Changes

"This biting snow is not something I'm used to," Sam said. "It's quite lovely when it's falling gently outside your home, but here it whips across your face and stings!"  
  
"Like it or not, Sam, we are going over this mountain. So I think you had better like it," Gandalf said.  
  
"Uff!" Everyone turned as Frodo fell down the snowy slope, coming to a stop as Aragorn caught him, watching as Boromir picked up the ring and stared at it.  
  
"Boromir, give the ring to Frodo." Boromir did not respond. "Boromir!" Snapping out of his trance, Boromir handed the chain and ring to Frodo, who snatched it away and put it in his pocket, and they continued on. As they were traipsing across a narrow ledge, Gandalf and Saruman (from his tower) were casting random spells against one another.  
  
"Gandalf, be quiet. You'll be the death of us all," Aragorn said. At that exact moment, a huge lightning bolt came from the sky, causing an avalanche of snow to rain down on them.  
  
*~*Legolan and Almaya*~*  
  
"Almaya, look!" Almaya looked up and saw the huge cascade of snow pouring down on the Fellowship. "We must help them!" she cried, and urged Shrift on to greater speed. Legolan was close behind with Alpine. When they reached the Fellowship, Legolas was already hauling himself out of the snow. When he saw Legolan and Almaya dismounting from their horses, anger flickered through his body and he strode over to them.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he hissed through clenched teeth.  
  
"Following you," Legolan retorted indignantly. "What do you think we are doing, traveling over Caradhras simply as a pleasure trip?"  
  
"No, but-" he was cut off by Almaya.  
  
"We followed you because we were bored with our lives back in Mirkwood. We sought adventure, and that seems to follow you everywhere, so we followed along with it. If within the depths of your soul you don't want us with you, we can turn back."  
  
"No, Alm-" Almaya cut Legolan off by brushing past her and mounting Shrift. By then, the Fellowship had unearthed itself and they were watching the three Elves.  
  
"Stay," Gandalf commanded. He strode down to where Legolas was standing and looked him hard in the eye.  
  
"Legolas, these are your kin. They have come all this way seeking adventure, no doubt hoping that you would accept them openly and protect them if the time comes. Do you deny them that?"  
  
"No," Legolas stated. "I could not do that to my sister and her best friend, although the bond between Almaya and me is strong too."  
  
"Then they will come." Gandalf's decision was final.  
  
"Now which way are we going?" Aragorn asked.  
  
"We can go through the caves of Moria," Gimli said. "We will find good friends and a warm fire from my kin there." Gandalf shuddered.  
  
"I will not go through there unless it is our only hope," he said resolutely. Suddenly, a small argument erupted between the members of the Fellowship over which way to go.  
  
"Does the Ringbearer have nothing to say?" Almaya asked loudly. Everyone fell quiet and looked at Frodo. "He should decide, being the reason we are on this quest." Legolas looked at Almaya, surprised. She had barely been with them for a few moments and already she felt part of the Fellowship? He shook his head, remembering how easily Almaya adjusted to everything, and looked at Frodo, who stared at everybody else.  
  
"We shall go through Moria." The simple words fell like leaden weights upon the Fellowship, who merely pushed their feelings aside and pressed on.  
  
* * *At the Gates of Moria* * *  
  
"I don't like it much here," Legolan said, shrinking back with Alpine, who tugged at her lead as if she was scared, too. "It's too eerie and quiet for my liking."  
  
"Then turn around and go back," Legolas said sarcastically. Almaya immediately came between the two.  
  
"Legolas, what has gotten into you? Ever since we came, all you have been is rude and cruel to us. Why can't you be like you were back in Mirkwood? A kinder Elf I never knew there."  
  
"Yes, well we're not in Mirkwood now are we? We're at the doors of Moria, and I will take pleasure in behaving how I like." The rest of the Fellowship was completely astonished, for Almaya was right. They expected her to continue the fight or at least give back some sort of barbed retort, but Almaya simply sighed and turned away. Legolas was too difficult to deal with right now, at a time when even she was confused about her feelings.  
  
"Well," said Gandalf, "Let us get back to the matter at hand. Getting into Moria." 


	3. Moria

1 Chapter 2  
  
After many failed attempts at opening the doors of Moria, everyone was very bored and discouraged, even Gandalf, who sat on a rock and had thought to give up. Almaya sat away from the rest of the group, letting silvery teardrops fall down her cheeks. Legolan was talking quietly with Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir, while the hobbits sat huddled together trying to keep warm. Legolas was idly sitting and watching Almaya. He had never felt so torn in his life. He felt so stupid for hurting Almaya, intentionally at best. He had always admired Almaya so much, one of his best friends. Almaya had always been there when Legolas was sick, injured, or simply feeling poorly. She had always provided him with a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen, but most of all she just cared. And this was how he was repaying all the time and love she had given him, by hurting her and trying to break her spirit. He knew how she felt about him, and, to tell the truth, he felt the same way but his pride would not let him admit it. Legolas looked over at the tears spilling over her porcelain cheeks, and a stone of regret settled in his stomach. He was completely unaware of Aragorn coming up behind him until he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Go talk to her." Legolas sighed.  
  
"I can do no such thing," he said.  
  
"Legolas," Aragorn said, kneeling beside his friend, "You are stubborn, and proud. It's those two things alone that keep you from asking for forgiveness. If you want to salvage any part of your relationship with Almaya, talk to her. Tell her how you feel. Going only on what your sister told me, you two have always been friends and worked through everything. But every time, she made the first move. Now it's your turn." Legolas looked at his friend.  
  
"Thank you, Aragorn. Thank you." Slowly he got up and walked over to Almaya.  
  
"Almaya," he started, but she got up and brushed past him.  
  
"Save it," she said coldly. At that moment Frodo and Gandalf had solved the impossibly simple riddle and had gained entrance to Moria, providing Almaya with a reason to get up other than to avoid Legolas. As she passed Legolan, the other Elf caught up and started walking with her.  
  
"Almaya, why don't you just forgive and forget? You two have been friends for as long as you can remember, and I can't think of a time when you haven't made up. Just apologize like you always-"  
  
"What do I have to apologize to him for? Legolas is the one saying cruel things-"  
  
"And you're the one letting that go to heart. You know he doesn't mean that, and he has reason to be upset with us. He told us to stay out of trouble and here we are following him! He's only trying to protect you…" Legolan trailed off as she couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
"But still, he doesn't have to be hostile towards us." Almaya knew it would always be like this. Every time she and Legolas had gotten into a fight, Legolan had always taken her brother's side. It was the same when she argued with Legolan- struggling for her rights and whatnot by herself. If only I was of royal blood, she thought. Then maybe they would accept me more freely. Alas, I am only a simple servant in their palace. Almaya sighed and turned away from Legolan, only to whip around at a scream from Frodo and a yell from Sam. Almaya yanked the bow off her back and plucked an arrow from her quiver. Sighting along the shaft, she was ready to let it go, when Gandalf stayed her hand.  
  
"Don't waste your arrows," he stated simply. Almaya let the string go slack and placed the arrow back in its quiver, then hung her bow across her back. As the others retreated into the mines, the giant monster pursued them but was crushed by an avalanche of rocks, blocking the path out.  
  
"Now we have but one choice," said Gandalf. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard; there are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world. It is a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed." And with that they started out through Moria. 


	4. Drums in the Deep

1 A/N: Sorry for the mix-up!! I accidentally replaced the chapter Moria with this but I fixed it now!! I am so sorry for that and I hope you don't hate me!! Well, of course you don't…but still (  
  
2  
  
3 Chapter 3  
  
Almaya crawled up the steep stairs in her own world, starting as Pippin slipped, and nearly fell backwards. When she reached the top, she was disappointed to hear Gandalf say that he had no memory of this place. Leaning against the wall, Almaya sighed and tried to sleep, but rest would not come easily in a place where she was uncomfortable being in and Pippin kept talking.  
  
"Are we lost?" Pippin asked quietly.  
  
"No, we're not lost," Merry said.  
  
"I think we're lost," Pippin replied.  
  
"Quiet, Gandalf's thinking," Merry retorted. Everyone was quiet, gathered around the small fire.  
  
"Merry? I'm hungry," Pippin said a few moments later.  
  
"Shut up, Pip." Almaya smiled at this remark. She was already fond of the young hobbits, more so than she was of Frodo and Sam, partly because they were so innocent and full of life. Almaya tried to drift off into a short nap, but rest would not come easily in such an uneasy place and when her thoughts kept drifting back to Legolas and his strange behavior. She was totally mystified as to why he had been so unpleasant earlier, but then had come over to seemingly talk to her. I shouldn't have gotten up and walked away, she thought to herself. She knew that Legolas was a proud Elf, and he would not have come to apologize if he hadn't felt like he had done something completely wrong. Or was he apologizing? Almaya couldn't tell. Almaya was frustrated by Legolas and his ability to manipulate people. She was drifting off when she heard Frodo ask Gandalf about something.  
  
"There's something down there." She heard Gandalf sigh heavily.  
  
"It's Gollum. He's been following us for three days." A new wave of fear washed over Almaya.  
  
"He escaped from the dungeons of Barad-Dur," Frodo said softly, a tinge of anxiety to his voice.  
  
"Escaped, or was set loose. Gollum hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be free of his need for it."  
  
"Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."  
  
"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends, but my heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play, for good or ill. Before this is over, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."  
  
"I wish the ring had never come to me, Gandalf. I wish this never happened." A flood of compassion replaced Almaya's fear. She felt sorry for the hobbit, but listened carefully to what Gandalf had to say next.  
  
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given. There are other forces at work in the world than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, which means that you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought. Ah! It's this way."  
  
"He's remembered!" Merry shouted gleefully, and Almaya had yet to hold back a smile at his impudence.  
  
"No, but the air smells less foul down here. When in doubt, Meriadoc, always trust your nose." Gandalf lit his staff once more and they continued down the musty, rank tunnel. When they reached a large room supported by many pillars, Gandalf's staff glowed even brighter and they saw the absolute enormity of the hall they were in.  
  
"Behold!" Gandalf cried out. "The great realm of the dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf."  
  
"Well that's a real eye-opener and no mistake," Sam whispered to Almaya, who was standing next to him.  
  
"Yes," she replied, standing in awe at the sheer size of Dwarrowdelf's great hall. She snapped out of her daze when Gandalf called Gimli's name. She saw the short figure disappear into a room and followed Gimli, the rest of the group not far behind her. She brushed the dust off of the tomb Gimli was grieving near and read the runes.  
  
"Here lies Balin son of Hrundin, Lord of Moria." She looked up at her companions.  
  
"It is as I feared then," Gandalf said. "He is dead." He went over to an old skeleton and pulled a book from between its bony hands. Surprisingly, it didn't fall apart.  
  
"We cannot linger here," Legolas whispered to Aragorn. Almaya longed to say some nasty remark to him but kept her mouth shut as Gandalf read from the book.  
  
"They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. The ground shakes. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. A shadow moves in the dark. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They are coming." Suddenly everyone turned in Pippin's direction as he knocked a skeleton down the well it had been sitting on. Almaya started to say something, but was cut off by Gandalf again.  
  
"Fool of a Took!" He said as he slammed the book shut. "Next time throw yourself in and rid us of your stupidity!" He turned away after snatching his staff and hat back, but slowly faced Pippin again as they heard something. Boom, boom. Boom boom boom.  
  
"Drums in the deep," Almaya whispered. 


	5. They Have a Cave Troll

1 A/N: I haven't really been getting many reviews so I don't know if I'll keep writing this or not, so plz review, I really appreciate your input!!!  
  
2  
  
3 Chapter 4  
  
"Frodo!" Sam whispered hoarsely. Frodo pulled Sting out partway, enough to see the blue light emanating from the blade.  
  
"Orcs!" Legolas said. Almaya rolled her eyes and nocked an arrow to her bow, waiting for the Orcs. Boromir ran to the door and narrowly avoided two sharp arrows aimed at him. Ducking back inside, he shut the door.  
  
"Get back!" Aragorn yelled at the hobbits. "Stay close to Gandalf!"  
  
"They have a cave troll," he muttered.  
  
"Oh wonderful. D'you think they'd like to stay for tea?" Almaya said sarcastically as he and Aragorn barred the door with the weapons from the dead.  
  
"Let them come!" Gimli said fiercely, shaking his axe as he stood on Balin's tomb. "There is one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!" The hobbits crowded together behind Gandalf, brandishing their short blades. Sam also had a frying pan. Legolan stood on a high ledge with her bow, waiting for the Orcs to break through. Aragorn and Legolas stood in front, already loosing arrows into the Orcs who were battering down the door. Almaya and Boromir stood on either side of Aragorn and Legolas, swords at the ready. When the Orcs broke through, Legolan began shooting arrow after arrow into the hordes of Orcs swarming around them. Almaya and Boromir wreaked complete havoc with their twirling blades and fast slashes at the Orcs. Aragorn gave up his bow for the use of Anduril, but Legolas climbed up by Legolan and still shot arrows at the Orcs. The hobbits were stabbing Orc after Orc with their short blades, and Sam was hitting them over the head with his frying pan.  
  
"I think I'm getting the hang of this!" he exclaimed, stopping for a brief rest in the corner before coming out face-to-face with the cave troll, who tried to smash him but only succeeded in smashing Balin's tomb, barely missing Gimli, and killing a few Orcs in the process. Then the troll caught sight of the twins, and used his long chain as a whip to try and kill them, but got its chain caught around a pillar, which Legolan held while Legolas jumped on the troll's head, firing an arrow into its head. The troll then pulled on the chain with so much force than Legolan was forced to let go of it, and the troll started grabbing for Legolas, who jumped off to safety. The troll then saw Frodo, Merry, and Pippin, and attempted to smash them. Merry and Pippin scattered one way, while Frodo went another, but found himself stuck a corner near a pillar. He tried to avoid the cave troll, but the monstrous thing caught him. Frodo sliced at its hand with Sting, and the troll let go.  
  
"Aragorn! Help!" Frodo yelled. The troll went for Frodo again, but Aragorn stabbed it with a long spear, whereupon the troll promptly smashed him into the wall, knocking Aragorn unconscious. Frodo goes to stab the troll again, but the troll gets him first, shoving a long spear hard into Frodo's side, who collapsed. Merry and Pippin leapt on the cave troll's back and bashed its head up, but the troll flung Merry off onto the ground, whereas Pippin stayed on its head. Legolas came up, an arrow fitted to his bow, waiting for the troll to rear its ugly head, and when it did, he shot the arrow through the troll's throat up into its brain. The troll swayed for a few moments, then fell over, flinging Pippin onto the ground near Merry.  
  
"Oh no," Aragorn groaned, scrambling over to Frodo, who sat up, breathing heavily.  
  
"He's alive!" Sam cried out.  
  
"I'm all right, I'm not hurt," Frodo said.  
  
"You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar," Aragorn said.  
  
"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf chuckled. Frodo revealed his mithril vest.  
  
"Mithril! You are full of surprises, Mr. Baggins," Gimli said.  
  
"Run!" Almaya shouted from her place near the door. "More Orcs are coming!"  
  
"To the bridge of Khazad-Dum!" Gandalf led the other ten back through the huge cavern, but Orcs swarmed down the pillars to surround them. Suddenly all the Orcs stopped yelling war cries and shrank back from the end of the hall, where a fiery light was gleaming. A loud roar sounded from the direction of the light.  
  
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked.  
  
"A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" 


End file.
